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what to do to replace rusted out body hat channels?

Discussion in 'Flat Fender Tech' started by 97XJ_95YJ, Jul 11, 2007.

  1. Jul 11, 2007
    97XJ_95YJ

    97XJ_95YJ I hate torx bolts

    Woolrich, PA
    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2006
    Messages:
    250
    Just wondering what can be done to replace rusted out hat channels on the tub? PO replaced the rusty hat channel with a piece of 2x4 wood, but I'm thinking thats probably not how it should be done :)
     
    97XJ_95YJ, Jul 11, 2007
    #1
  2. Jul 11, 2007
    Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Tulsa, OK
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
    Messages:
    6,197
    How bad are they? I used some 1" x 2" channel to repair some sections on SSDutch - the channel slips over the OE hat channels:

    Before:
    [​IMG]

    After:
    [​IMG]
     
    Boyink, Jul 11, 2007
    #2
  3. Jul 11, 2007
    w3srl

    w3srl All-around swell dude Staff Member

    Port Orange, FL
    Joined:
    Nov 6, 2002
    Messages:
    4,275
    X2. The ones on my flattie were gone on the bottoms, but the sides were still solid. I debated cutting them all out and welding in repros, but in the end I used some hardware-store flat stock to bridge the roached out areas after I cut the rust out. After the welds were ground down I used body seam-sealer to seal it all up watertight before prime/paint went on.

    Oh, and take out all the wood you can find inside the channels, and add pieces of tubing as anti-crush sleeves for the body mounts. The wood served it's purpose back in the day, but it holds water and helps to breed rust!
     
    w3srl, Jul 11, 2007
    #3
  4. Jul 11, 2007
    97XJ_95YJ

    97XJ_95YJ I hate torx bolts

    Woolrich, PA
    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2006
    Messages:
    250
    boyink - what rubber did you use for a body mount?

    Anyone have experience with that "you-cut it" rubber mounting stuff you can buy from Quadratec? Basically you just cut the rubber tube to what ever size "puck" you need.
     
    97XJ_95YJ, Jul 11, 2007
    #4
  5. Jul 11, 2007
    Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Tulsa, OK
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
    Messages:
    6,197
    I bought a body mount kit for an intermediate CJ as they have more body mounts, and the ECJ6 has a couple more than the ECJ5.
     
    Boyink, Jul 11, 2007
    #5
  6. Jul 11, 2007
    Sledgehammer

    Sledgehammer Sure, I'll try it

    Ellery, Il
    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2006
    Messages:
    341
    This obviously wouldn't be anything like factory but we used sign posts once. They were the kink used for road signs. My buddy was a road commisioner and had some lying around. They have holes in them every couple inches and will drain well while remaining very strong.
     
    Sledgehammer, Jul 11, 2007
    #6
  7. Jul 11, 2007
    Bill F

    Bill F Finally running

    Hillsboro NH
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    588
    I used reproduction in my m38, was easy to do and came out great
     
    Bill F, Jul 11, 2007
    #7
  8. Jul 12, 2007
    brandon533b

    brandon533b Member since 2007

    Yakima,WA
    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2007
    Messages:
    220
    i asked about this same thing and i heard that you could use a c channel(kinda like the hat metal), but weld it in with the open side down, so as not to fill up with mud and junk and rust out again.
     
    brandon533b, Jul 12, 2007
    #8
  9. Jul 12, 2007
    w3srl

    w3srl All-around swell dude Staff Member

    Port Orange, FL
    Joined:
    Nov 6, 2002
    Messages:
    4,275
    I don't think that would be near as strong, and would likely crush at the body/frame attachment points. That signpost idea sure would be beefy though, as long as you didn't care about originality.
     
    w3srl, Jul 12, 2007
    #9
  10. Jul 14, 2007
    jchisum

    jchisum New Member

    Cameron Park, CA
    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2004
    Messages:
    33
    i replaced the front floor in my 3A tub with panels from jeep panels plus. they use heavier gauge steel and send a long a complete precut set of hat channels


    http://www.jeepanelsplus.com/
     
    jchisum, Jul 14, 2007
    #10
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